On animals
Tony — Sun, 11/02/2008 - 5:47pm
A few days ago while Tanner and I were out for an early morning pee we watched several deer, just gray shapes in the pre-dawn light, moving silently through the gray shapes of the oaks. Seeing them like that I was struck with their wildness and independence. Inside, Tanner on my lap and cup of coffee going, I pondered critters a bit - wild and not so wild. Today I came across this quotation, which puts into fine words the thoughts I was trying to knit together.
"We patronize them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth."
-- Henry Beston, circa 1925
Another world
Sebastian — Mon, 11/03/2008 - 8:34amNice post Big T.
At my last house, I would walk Tippy down a quiet creekside path in the mornings, before I left for work. There in the middle of diesel-pickup-suburbia was an oasis, an outpost of this other world. We saw herons of all denominations, ducks, tiny birds full of color, and huge black ones hunting walnuts.
Watching a Great Blue Heron stalking silently along the creekbed was always a moving glimpse into another life, truly a different world from my own. Conversely, when going to work after those mornings the 'real world' felt muffled and muted, distinctly lacking the same vibrancy and clarity. Probably had something do with my office being a windowless white room at that time!
The immediate contrast between the natural world and the daily grind has always been one of the biggest threats to my productivity. But I look for light and beauty where I can. Today it's easy. There is a familiar pair of Phoebes in the tree outside my office window, playing among the wet leaves and branches.
It's as if they have no idea they're such primitive, stunted beings! Poor little things.
Interesting
Barbara — Thu, 11/06/2008 - 7:40amIsn't it interesting that we find our comfort and rejuvenation in a place with a distinct lack of others of our specie.
Hmmmm
Dana — Thu, 11/13/2008 - 7:25pmI'm still pondering "Tanner and I were out for an early morning pee ..." Does Hilda know about this part of your morning rituals?
(but, really, ditto what Barbara said)
Dear fellow as he is, I
Tony — Sun, 11/16/2008 - 7:23pmDear fellow as he is, I suspect that on occasion Tanner's elevator doesn't quite make it all the way to the top, if you get my drift. He needs an unsubtle demo sometimes, discretely done, of course, and a private matter between he and I - well, until now, that is!
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. . . Cheers to all, from the Golden Rollin' Hills of California
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